1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shifter cable assembly having an interlock device integral therewith, and more specifically, to an adjustment assembly which ensures proper operation of the interlock device following installation of the cable assembly into the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Interlock devices are incorporated into vehicle control mechanisms to prevent the transmission from being shifted out of the park position unless the brake pedal is depressed. Typically, the cable assembly includes a conduit with a core element movably disposed therein. One end of the core element is secured to the transmission and the other end of the core element is secured to the shifter, such as a column shift lever. The column shift lever transmits movement to the transmission through the core element. One type of interlock device operates by engaging an element associated with the core element to prevent its movement unless the brake pedal is depressed. This is achieved by utilizing a solenoid that is actuated by a brake pedal signal. It is desirable to provide an interlock device that is integral with the cable assembly to reduce the number of components required for the interlock system. To this end, interlock devices have been developed that are integral with the cable assembly and which utilize a pin transverse to an aperture associated with the core element. The pin engages the aperture to prevent its movement. Once such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,818 issued on Jul. 15, 1997 to Moody.
The alignment of the pin and aperture is critical to ensure proper operation of the interlock device. During installation of the cable assembly into the vehicle, the core element must be moved within the conduit to connect the ends of the cable assembly to their respective shifter components. As a result, the position of the aperture may change slightly with respect to the pin and cause the interlock device to operate improperly. Other interlock devices that are non-integral with the cable assembly do not present this alignment problem because the brackets that are used to support the components may align the features. Therefore, what is needed is an adjustment assembly to ensure proper operation of the integral shifter cable interlock after installation of the cable assembly into the vehicle.
The present invention provides an adjustment assembly for an integral shifter cable interlock. The assembly includes a cable assembly having a conduit defining an axis and a core element disposed within the conduit movable along the axis. A terminal assembly is secured to a portion of the core element and has an aperture. An interlock housing is supported by the cable assembly with the terminal assembly at least partially disposed within the interlock housing. An interlock device is disposed within the interlock housing and has an armature pin transverse to the aperture for coacting with the aperture and preventing axial movement of the core element. The adjustment assembly is characterized by a removable clip interposed between the interlock housing and the terminal assembly for locating the aperture relative to the armature pin.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an adjustment assembly that ensures proper operation of the integral shifter cable interlock after installation of the cable assembly into the vehicle.